True characters

GARATH SCULLY, coffee roaster and tea blender

First thing in the morning. . . I reach for my own blend of Colombian Coffee. Coffee is the best thing to douse the sunrise with.

A good cup of coffee or tea. . . should complement any mood you may be in; good vigorous coffee if your day is going well, mellow green tea if you want that zen feeling, or a good brisk black tea if you are feeling a bit down.

I travel a lot in my job. . . I've recently returned from an amazing trip to some coffee farms in Nicaragua and El Salvador. They are two of the most beautiful, exciting and dangerous countries I have ever visited.

The coffee and tea trades. . . are very much influenced by both global and local weather conditions. Harsh weather reduces crop yields, making my job of sourcing quality coffee and tea at the right price more difficult.

Coffee roasting is all about. . . timing and temperature. Knowing how to coax the best out of each individual coffee in the roaster is what can make the difference between an okay cup of coffee and an excellent cup of coffee. Tea blending traditionally starts with sourcing brisk, bright and astringent teas and bringing them together to deliver that perfect, golden-coloured tea with a desirable liquor.

To be a good coffee roaster .. . you need to have an excellent palate and a knowledge of the taste profiles of each coffee-producing country.

It gives me a buzz when. . . I find a perfect all-rounder coffee. One that can deliver an excellent cafetière coffee and at the same time deliver as a perfect espresso. Quite rare but they are out there.

When I'm not working. . . I swim three times a week – it's a great stress-buster and a way to relax.

My earliest food memory is. . . my Mum's beef casserole – still as awesome today as it was then.

The best thing I have ever eaten is. . . anything cooked by my wife. Aside from that it's got to be the Buffalo wings I had in Meehan's bar in Atlanta last year – their hot sauce was outstanding.

My dream dinner party guests would be. . . the entire Soprano family.

And I'd cook them. . . baked ziti.

Five things I always have in my pantry are .. . eggs, chopped tomatoes, spices, olive oil and sugar.

I'm passionate about. . . coffee, tea, travel, and really good shoes.

I'm really good at. . . negotiating a good deal.

I often imagine myself. . . spending all my money on travel and fast cars, although the two don't really work together.

Not many people know this about me . .. but I once starred in a continuity TV advertisement for RTÉ2 in the early 1990s. It was shot on a freezing cold January night in Temple Bar. I was only in it for a couple of seconds, but it was quite exciting at the time.

My guilty pleasure is . . .spending money on watches – way too much money.

Garath Scully is master coffee roaster and tea blender at Robert Roberts

In conversation with Marie-Claire Digby